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I am a 58 year old female who is tired of gambling losses. I've spent time in the past few years talking to counsellors and seeking help from those close to me. I just had my 3rd relapse in 8 months. I read Sam's blog this morning and could see myself in many of his sceneries. Of course today, I think I can conquer this addiction. However, I am fearful of the next urge I may get in a few months. For those of you who use this forum regularly, does it help?

Motivated

May 9, 20161:17 pm

GH Admin

Admin

Forum Posts: 75

Member Since: February 13, 2014

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Hi Motivated16,

Great to hear from you - I'm glad that you have posted about your experiences....it can be very helpful to reach out and get some support from people who are in a similar situation, or have been through what you are going through. It also sounds like you have benefitted from looking at some of the blogs and reflecting on your own experiences. As to urges........I suppose you could think about it like if you were changing any behavior......at the beginning, the urges are very strong, but over time they diminish. Many people find that working with a counsellor to manage the urge as it happens, can be incredibly helpful in not following through with the behavior. The less we do a behavior, the weaker the urge gets. Perhaps one strategy could be for you to call the Gambling Helpline next time you have an urge. Many people use this as a safety net and find that talking to a person who understands what they are going through, is very effective at managing the urge.
It really sounds as if you have turned a corner with your gambling and are now putting things into place to protect you from further relapse. Well done on reaching out for help.
warm regards,
GH Admin